India improves breastfeeding policy score in global assessment, but key gaps remain

By A Representative

India has shown significant progress in its national policy and programme environment supporting breastfeeding and infant and young child feeding (IYCF), according to the 6th World Breastfeeding Trends Initiative (WBTi) assessment report released by the Breastfeeding Promotion Network of India (BPNI).

The report, Spotlight on Breastfeeding & Infant and Young Child Feeding in India, marks India’s WBTi score rising from 45 in 2018 to 62 in 2025 out of a possible 100. Correspondingly, India’s global rank has improved sharply, moving up from 79th to 41st place. In WBTi’s colour-coded system, India has moved from the ‘Yellow’ to ‘Blue’ category—indicating steady policy and programme progress.

The report attributes these gains to stronger legal frameworks such as the IMS Act and Maternity Benefits Act, implementation of the MAA programme to promote breastfeeding in hospitals, better community outreach, and improved preparedness for breastfeeding support during emergencies and in HIV contexts.

Despite this improvement, the report warns of persistent gaps in service delivery, enforcement, and inclusivity. According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), only 41% of newborns are breastfed within the first hour of birth, 63% of infants are exclusively breastfed, 45% receive timely complementary feeding, and just 11% meet the minimum acceptable diet.

Particularly concerning is the performance of the MAA programme, which remains in the ‘Red’ category under Indicator 2. The report calls for urgent improvements in district-level financial support, staff training in hospitals, technical assistance to states, and monitoring systems.

The report stresses the need to bring private healthcare providers into the fold, as they account for a significant share of childbirth services. Experts argue that improved coordination and funding, along with rigorous enforcement of the IMS Act, are essential to counter ongoing commercial marketing of baby foods.

“India’s progress is commendable and encouraging,” said Dr. Arun Gupta, lead author of the report and founder of BPNI. “To reach the top 10 in global rankings, India must strengthen coordination, increase funding, and ensure stricter enforcement of protections against commercial influence.”

The report also recommends reviving the National Steering Committee on Breastfeeding and IYCF and developing a four-year national action plan with dedicated funding. Dr. Nupur Bidla, the new Central Coordinator of BPNI, noted that comprehensive action—including emergency preparedness—should be included in such a plan.

Community pediatrician Dr. Vandana Prasad from the Public Health Resource Society emphasized the need for institutionalised capacity building and called for amending the Maternity Benefit Act 2017 to extend protections to women in the informal sector.

Developed using globally recognised WBTi tools, the report incorporates inputs from experts across leading public health institutions including Doctors For You, PHRS, NIHFW, PAN Society, UNICEF India, and others.

The report has been released as India marks World Breastfeeding Week 2025, themed “Prioritise Breastfeeding: Create Sustainable Support Systems.”

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